Watch Over You
by drarryxon
Summary: A Hermione/Snape story, separated into drabbles, taking place during 6/7 year. Not a happy ending, but quite sweet. M for Safety
1. Chapter 1

**This is a story with the coupling of Hermione/Severus Snape. The relationship takes place over the course of what would be Hermione's sixth and seventh years. It just popped into my head while I was in bed last night and it's continuing to nag at me. It's going to be separated into little drabbles.**

"Professor," Hermione whispered, reaching out for the Potions Master's black cloaked arm. He jerked away from her touch and fixed her with a steely glare that would have normally sent her running for the hills. They were shut away inside of his office. Professor Snape had been giving Hermione Granger special lessons for reasons he wasn't even aware of, and tonight, after coming in late, he'd thrown a fit and chucked a bottle of firewhisky across the room.

"Professor," she tried again, this time managing to touch him. "Are you alright?"

"Do I look bloody alright to you, Miss Granger?" he snapped, and immediately regretted it. He wasn't angry with _her_, per se. He was angry with himself _about_ her. About the way she looked. The way she smelled. The way she acted. The way she was. The way she was so tantalizing.

"I—I'm sorry." Her brown eyes flickered down and she realized she was still holding onto his arm, which felt sinewy underneath his frock coat. She turned pink and removed her hand as if she had been shocked. She shouldn't be having those thoughts about her professor.


	2. Chapter 2

"Dammit, Severus!" Hermione shouted, probably waking owls up in the owlry several floors above the dungeons. Professor Snape stared at her, his black eyes slighly hazy with the effects of Ogden's Firewhisky. "You say you care for me, but—"

"Hermione," Severus said, his voice steady, despite his many drinks, "I deeply care for you."

Hermione stared at him for a moment, her caramel eyes filling with tears.

"How can you love someone and not yourself?" she whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione knew that Severus had a large task that lie ahead of him, something that he had to do for someone else, but he refused to divulge the exact information to her. Seeing as Hermione was no Legillimens, she had no idea what this plan was, but she had no doubts about the fact that it was taking a large toll on Severus' mental and even physical health.

Harry had gnawing suspicions about his arch nemesis, Draco Malfoy, Severus' Godson. Harry believed that Draco had become a Death Eater in place of his father, of whom had found himself incarcerated in the wizard prison, Azkaban after their tryst in the Department of Mysteries last summer.

Hermione vaguely wondered if Severus' current state was linked to Draco somehow, for Malfoy no longer looked like his usual pompous and brash self. He had began to look more pale than ever, which was quite a feat, seeing as the boy was already the color of ivory. His usual swagger was gone, and his skin seemed to have the consistency of wax.

The mystery was solved the night that Professor Dumbledore took Harry to the cave in search of Salazar Slytherin's locket, however. That night, upon the Astronomy Tower, Severus Snape took Albus Dumbledore's life.

As Snape ran past her while she fought off a burly blonde Death Eater, he threw her a look that made her insides shatter with pity and pain. He hadn't wanted to kill the headmaster-she could see it in his black eyes. She also knew that Harry would never, ever believe that.


	4. Chapter 4

The Forest of Dean was quiet. Snow was falling softly, collecting on the ground like powdered sugar. Harry lay inside the tent asleep, the real locket of Slytherin safely around his neck, broken wand clutched in his hand. Hermione sat outside on the edge of the protective barriers she had erected once they had landed in the forest.

Her gut was telling her that she was needed somewhere, and that somewhere was not here.

After producing a note telling Harry she had gone to forage for food, Hermione took Harry's invisibility cloak and followed her instincts to a small cave on the outside of an encroaching forest.

"Hello?" she called into the cave. There was a small orange flicker in the back, as if someone had started a bonfire. She hadn't removed the invisibility cloak for safety measures.

"I didn't think I'd ever find you," a familiar, deep, and velvety voice said from the confines of the cave. Hermione nearly jumped out of her snow boots as Severus Snape stepped out of the dark. She pulled off the cloak and stuffed it in her small beaded bag.

"Severus!" she breathed, pressing against his warm wool coat. They retreated into the cave. "Where have you been? How did you find me?"

"I've been made Headmaster of Hogwarts," Severus told her, not sounding too happy about it. He ignored the last question.

"I'm so happy you're here." Hermione felt Severus tense. He didn't hug her back. "Wha-What's wrong?"

He didn't speak for a moment. "I can't do this-let you lose it all. Not for me. It's more than I can take." His voice was quiet. He sounded like he was in immense pain.

"You don't have a choice!" Hermione shouted, surprising the older wizard. "Is this about the age thing again? I don't give a damn if you're thirty nine! I wouldn't care if you were sixty eight! I care about who you are on the inside. You're beautiful, Severus." There were tears in the brunette's eyes.

Once again, she reached out and pressed her face to his wool coat. "Who'll ease your pain?"

Tears threatened to fall from Severus' black eyes. No one had ever professed such feelings for him, had never stirred the sleeping beast in him as this young woman had. Not even Lily Evans.

Without thinking, his gripped Hermione's chin in his hand and pressed his thin lips to her soft and plump ones. The kiss was heated, feverish, as if neither of them could get enough. Severus lightly pressed his tongue against Hermione's lips, asking for entrance. She gave it to him without a second thought.

The fight for dominance was hot, and left both of them breathing hard. Hands began to dance at the buttons of each other's coats. Save for a few stolen touches on the outside of the clothes, Hermione and Severus had never done much more than kiss. He had figured that she had never wanted that with him.

"It's okay," Hermione told him, guiding his hands to the buttons on her coat. His hands shook as he slipped the large buttons through their designated holes and let the grey coat fall to the cave floor. Hermione made quick work of his coat and she slid it off of his thin frame. He had lost weight since she had seen him last.

Severus almost wanted to chastise himself as his hands shook when he placed them on Hermione's waist. He was almost afraid to inch them upwards. He had never been intimate with a woman. He didn't consider shagging a witch from the bar being intimate. Again, Hermione took his hands and placed them on her breasts. The long dormant being between his thighs stirred.

"Are you sure?" he asked, lips pressed to the soft skin on Hermione's neck.

"I've never been more sure of anything in the world, Severus," she whispered, running her hands through his near-shoulder length black hair.

Soon, the small cave was filled with soft moans and low groans as the clothes slowly came off. The frigid air bothered neither one of them. All that mattered was that they were finally together, that they were finally each other's.

After the passion subsided, Hermione and Severus lay closely intertwined upon their bed of coats. He was running his long, slightly calloused fingers along her jawbone.

Hermione chewed on her lip and pressed as close as she could to the body that was flush against her.

"I love you, Severus," she whispered. His entire body tensed.

"Don't say that," he said, voice strained.

"Why not?" Hermione demanded.

"Who will watch over you? Who will give you strength when you're not strong? That's what I'm supposed to do—I'm supposed to be there, to care for you. I can't... I can't do that, Hermione." This time, there were tears streaking down Snape's pallid cheeks.

"I don't care," she said as she had earlier. "I love you the same."

They lay in silence for a while more before Hermione stated that she should probably get back to the tent, for Harry would probably be awake and having a conniption by now. They dressed quickly and quietly.

Before departing, Hermione turned to Snape. "I love you, Severus. I have for years. And I always will." She stood upon her tip toes and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to his lips.

"I love you, too, Hermione," he replied.

That night, Harry found the Sword of Gryffindor, and Ronald came back, recreating the Golden Trio. Hermione went on as if nothing had changed, but everything had changed. Little did she know, that had been the last time she would ever have to spend time with Severus.


	5. Chapter 5

On the night of the war, Severus Tobias Snape knew that he was going to die. He knew that the Dark Lord would take his life, that he would never get to hold Hermione's small body against his larger one ever again. What he didn't count on was the Trio slinking into the shack after Voldemort departed, him bleeding out from the puncture wounds in his neck.

He told Harry to take the memories that were weeping from every orfice on his body. He had to pay his last respects to Dumbledore before he died. Hermione sat behind Harry, falling apart silently, watching the man she gave her virginity to dying quickly and painfully.

When Harry got up to leave, Hermione told him she needed a moment to collect herself—she wasn't as used to death as he was. Despite the fact that she loved Severus, a death still rattled her nonetheless. As Harry and Ronald made their way out of earshot and eyesight, Hermione got as close as she could to Severus without jostling him.

"I'm so sorry," Hermione whispered, wiping his tears with the pad of her thumb. "I'm so sorry. I can't do anything."

He tried to speak, but all that came out was the gurgling of blood that was flowing into his lungs.

She shushed him, telling him not to strain himself any further than he had to. She didn't want his death to be any more painful than it had to be. "I know, Severus, I know." A sob ripped from her chest. "I love you, too."

Hermione pressed her lips to the thin lips of Severus Snape's; they were steadily growing colder. She wiped the blood off of her mouth and squeezed his hand. Within moments, he breathed his last breath.


	6. Chapter 6

Hermione hadn't been to the dungeons of Hogwarts since the night of the final battle. The trip caused every nerve in her body to feel like it was on fire. She didn't like being down here when Severus couldn't be.

She made her way into Snape's private rooms. Professor McGonagall had told her to collect whatever she wished. Hermione had confided in her austere professor after Voldemort had fallen about her illicit relationship with the Potions Master.

Sliding open one of the drawers on the large oak desk, Hermione found an envelope addressed to her. She sat down in the wing-backed leather chair and slowly opened it, as if she expected it to explode or melt away.

_Snow is on the ground. Winter's come. _

_You long to hear my voice, but I'm long gone._

Hermione dropped the letter in shock. He knew he was going to die. That's why he didn't want her to love him. Hot, salty tears ran down her face and she picked the letter back up, tucking it into her robes.

Who will watch over you when I'm gone?


End file.
